Better
by she defies gravity
Summary: They could have been, but they weren't and now she is with someone else. Someone better. A Blaise Zabini/OC/Anthony Goldstein story.   Rated for language.


**AN: So I don't know how I feel about this one, but I thought I would upload it anyway. It's an interesting pairing really, so I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think**

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><p><em>Better<br>by shedefiesgravity_

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><p>The castle was falling down around her, walls splintering as curses hit them, students, teachers and death eaters alike ducking to avoid getting hit. She could see Professor McGonagall duelling with two of the masked men at once dodging the light of their spells with unexpected grace, behind her is Colin Creevey who must have snuck back when she had. He would be okay, they all would. She kept running, ignoring the startled cry of Susan Bones as Liz stunned the second death eater coming up behind her. She knew she shouldn't really be here, she was only a sixth year and not of age but she had to do something, Hogwarts was her home and she couldn't stand by and let it get torn to the ground.<p>

She's away from the melee now, alone in a quiet corridor that held evidence of a recent fight; doors hanging of their hinges and the walls crumbling, rocks scattered. She couldn't even recognise where she was. It's disconcerting really, that in all the madness some parts of the castle are still quiet, almost peaceful. Peace doesn't last for long, it is sudden when an unmasked man in Death Eater robes rounds the corner and spots her, wand raised at her chest. Eyes wide she dove hitting the floor hard with her shoulder, crying out in pain she raised her wand hitting him in the face with a jet of red light. Liz knew he wouldn't stay down for long, she had to move. With a groan she picked herself up from the harsh stone floor and took off again, unaware of where she was going but soon coming across the sound of battle again. Closer to Anthony. Liz knew he would be fine, he knew so many spells and he had Terry and Michael with him, the three of them would be stuck together like glue.

Her arm is suddenly grabbed, letting out a gasp of surprise and she is wrenched into another empty corridor, this one devoid of any debris. Panicking Liz fumbled with her wand yelling in frustration as she tried to pry her arm free.

'Carlisle, what the hell do you think you're doing here!' his voice is velvety and smooth but tainted by the crack in his voice.

'Blaise?' she asks in shock, 'me? What the hell do you think you're doing? You can't just grab me like that; this is a bloody war zone!'

'I'm not joking around Liz, what are you doing back here. I saw you leave with the rest of the Hufflepuffs, not to mention you're a sixth year, you can't be here,' his voice is strained as he looks into her eyes, his hand still holding a firm grip on her upper arm.

'I need to be here Zabini. I'm not going to let all your death eater friends take Hogwarts away,' she is defiant, 'speaking of, why are you here? Shouldn't you be off somewhere destroying the castle?'

Jaw tightening his hand around her forearm clenches, almost at a bruising pressure now; dragging her further down the corridor, away from everyone, away from Anthony. Ignoring her cries and attempts for escape he kept pulling, not stopping until he had pushed her through the door to an empty classroom, locking it behind him as he stepped through the frame.

'What do you think you're doing? I have to get out there!'

He ignored her, instead pacing back and forth head in hands.

'Why?'

'What?' the confusion in her voice was evident.

'Why do you have to get out there so bad?' he's not even trying to hide the anger and pain in his voice anymore, it is harsh with the emotion, 'is it really because you feel you have to fight for this damn school or is it because you want to go find your damn boyfriend?'

'So what if I do want to find Anthony, what the bloody hell does that have to do with you?' she is both scathing and defensive, eyes darting to his face.

'You're pathetic, risking your life for some dick who's probably already dead.'

'He is not. Don't you dare say that to me. He is out there fighting for something and he will live through it!'

'I can say whatever the hell I want to you, I always have and I always will.'

'Why are you doing this? Can't you just let me leave? I need to be back out there.'

'I am not letting you go.'

'Why? Why can't you just let me out of here! You don't give a shit about me, I know you don't! So just let me go find Anthony.'

'Just shut up Liz. You're not leaving,' he was all but shouting now, eyes blazing, 'especially not to go find that pathetic excuse of a wizard.'

'What the hell did you just say?'

'You heard me.'

'Just forget it Blaise, I am out of here,' she stormed to the door, attempting to push through his broad shoulders, 'have fun destroying the only place I know you've called home.'

She couldn't pass, he had thrown an arm across her chest as she attempted to barrel through him to the door, holding her back nimbly avoiding her flailing limbs. He ignored her protests, pulling her back further into the classroom and into his chest holding her close and tight.

'You can't go back out there, I'm not going to let you.'

His voice had taken on an anxious tone, he ran a hand over his face, keeping the other carefully wrapped around Liz to prevent her escape. He fell silent again, his breathing heavy as he leant his head against the back of the girl in his arms.

Liz's voice was pleading as she fought against his strong and constricting arms, 'what is this about Blaise? We haven't spoken in a year.'

'I know that Liz! I know that I screwed up but you know why and as soon as I'm out of the picture you run straight to that stupid DA and bloody Goldstein!' he was almost shouting, the anger and frustration evident, 'how the hell was I supposed to react to that?'

'You weren't supposed to react at all! You broke it off so you could preserver your stupid pureblood status! So you could keep hanging around with Malfoy and those Slytherins without drawing any attention to yourself!'

He had let go of her and they were standing face to face shouting and venting all frustrations that had been building up but never resolved. Insults ranged from her stupid bleeding heart to his ice cold one so preoccupied with how his housemates saw him. As they grew harsher their anger only grew, Blaise running his hands down his face and through his hair, Liz gesturing wildly.

It was abrupt, sudden, one minute they were hurling insults at each other, forgetting the war raging around them and the next he was holding her tightly again and his mouth was on hers. He wasn't gentle, he never had been. It was forceful and overpowering as he backed the much smaller Liz into the wall trapping her there between his arms as he leant his forehead to hers, breathing heavily.

'I can't let you go back to him. I just can't.'

Seeing an opportunity she brought her knee upwards quickly, jumping away from the wall as Blaise crumpled pain, wrenching the door open and taking off at a sprint towards the sounds of fighting, drawing her wand as she did so.

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><p>The fighting had stopped, You-Know-Who had given them an hour to treat the wounded and collect the dead. An hour for Harry Potter to turn himself in. The Great Hall was crowded, friends huddled in relief and others mourning. Fred Weasley, Professor Lupin, his wife. <em>Colin<em>. That hit her hardest, they had become close in the past year, the DA had brought them together.

She was alone in the corner of the room, head on her knees and eyes red. She had avoided the eyes of her friends as she walked slowly into the large room, very conscious of her bruised mouth. They had been curious and suspicious at the same time. Not like she could blame them. Michael in particular had eyed her as she stayed to the shadows, narrowed eyes following her.

She looked up and saw Michael nudge Anthony in her direction, he looked over eyes widening slightly when he saw her before striding over, avoiding the clusters of people around him.

'Liz. Where they hell were you?' his voice sounded odd, restrained, 'I didn't see you at all, I thought you had been killed.'

'I'm fine.'

'Where were you? It was chaos, and now you're back here and you look a mess,' he was still looking at her strangely, eyes curious.

'I told you. I'm fine.'

'Christ Liz! Something here is wrong! You weren't out there and I thought you'd been killed and now you come back in here looking like you've been off having a jolly good snog!'

'I wasn't! I tried to be out there! I was... detained,' Liz was quiet, avoiding his eyes, Blaise had always been a sore topic with him.

'Detained by what? Or who?' he asked her sharply.

'That doesn't matter. I'm fine. You're fine. We're going to be fine.'

'Was it Zabini? Terry said he saw him lurking about after we thought he had left with all the other Slytherins,' Anthony asked hardly, fists clenching and unclenching repeatedly.

Rather than answer, unable to find an answer that would not set him off, she avoided his eyes looking down. With a small growl he turned around and stalked off heading straight for the door; Liz, Michael and Terry all setting off after him from different directions.

'Tony! Tony!' Michael yelled after him, speeding up into a jog as his friend passed through the door, Terry following with a curse, Liz with a sigh.

'Ant! What are you doing? Get back in here!' Michael had caught up to him and was standing in front of him blocking the path.

'That stupid git cornered her and had his hands on her,' he muttered through gritted teeth.

Terry looked back at Liz, questioning her with his eyes. Michael was panic stricken.

'So what? You're going to go find him when he's surrounded by his Death Eater friends and what? You're going to attack him and get yourself killed? That's a real good plan,' Michael's eyes were wide as he tried to reason with his still seething best mate.

'He's right Ant, you can't go after him alone and expect to come out of it alive. Especially not in this state,' Terry spoke up from where he was standing behind Michael.

Liz walked forward, Michael moving out of her way as she stood in front of Anthony taking his hands in her own. He avoided her gaze, jaw still clenched tightly though his hands had relaxed when she had taken them.

'Anthony. You need to calm down,' Liz spoke in a quiet voice, soothing as she attempted to calm him down,' Anthony Goldstein. I – I love you.'

She stammered as she spoke the three words, his own mouth falling open in surprise, they had never spoken those words to each other before.

'Liz –'

'No Tony, listen to me. I love you. I love you so much it is scaring me. It doesn't matter that Blaise has a problem with you or me or whatever because the fact of the matter is that I am in love with you.'

Anthony made no movement to protest as she gently guided him back to the hall, Michael and Terry exchanging looks with each other before following after them.

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><p>Blaise watched them around the corner. The tall, beautiful girl leading an even teller boy by the hands, both of them followed by his geeky Ravenclaw friends.<p>

It was not a good feeling, watching the girl he liked, _loved, _had feeling for? He wasn't sure. There was something, watching her hold him, watching him touch her sent a hot rush all through his body – an involuntary reaction. He knew he wanted to kill the kid, that stupid Goldstein, he had known about Liz and Blaise, most of the school had and then he went and screwed it all up. Like an idiot. Now that stupid Ravenclaw _prick_ had her.

Another wave of anger hit as he turned on his heel, stalking through the empty halls, not wanting to join the other Slytherins nor did he wish to leave the school. If he played his cards right he could be considered neutral no matter which side won. Though he would prefer it to be the Dark Lord. Potter was a prat, like all Gryffindors.

The fighting soon started again before climaxing with the almighty blow, bloody Potter just wouldn't die.

He had been watching as the scene unfolded before him, the Dark Lord leading his victorious army and then Longbottom pulling the sword and the beheading of the snake. Then all of a sudden Potter comes out of nowhere and Voldemort is dead and all the Death Eaters have been killed, captured or done a runner.

And Liz was down there, celebrating. With Goldstein. Bloody prick.

She looked happy, alive. _In love. _It should have been him. It could have been him.

But she was better than Blaise Zabini.

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><p><strong>So let me know what you think about it, if you choose to favourite I would prefer you to also leave a review. They do make me a very happy girl, especially with all the stress of exam times! <strong>

**I would really love some constructive critisism, like I said I'm not sure how I feel about this one so some response would be greatly appreciated. **


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